Huawei will set up Russia's 5G network. A deal was signed after a meeting between China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Huawei will develop, pilot and launch the latest next-generation 5G network in Russia over the next year. This will bring cutting-edge technology and high-speed Internet to Russia. Huawei's chairman said he was "very happy" with the agreement, which is "in an area of strategic importance".
The deal is a relief for Huawei. It has had a tough time recently. The USA called it a national security risk and blocked it; Google denied key services to Huawei; and a key supplier of Huawei's semi-conductors cut ties with it. Huawei gets half the chips it uses from the US. The US ban of Huawei could be the start of the biggest trade war ever. Australia, Japan and New Zealand also banned Huawei from government contracts over security reasons.